Oakland terminates lease for would-be coal exporter

In a dramatic new challenge to developer Phil Tagami’s plan to export coal through a new marine terminal at the former army base in West Oakland, the City of Oakland has announced that the 66-year lease on the city-owned property has been terminated for failure to meet critical milestones for beginning construction.

City Attorney Barbara Parker said in a statement, "[The developer] had years to move this project forward and has used every excuse in the book to justify its failure to perform. This terminal is a critical project that will be an economic engine for West Oakland, our entire city and the region. The city must move this project forward with partners who are able to get the job done.”

The Sierra Club stands with the community in our commitment to a plan for the Oakland Army Base redevelopment that will create good jobs without sacrificing our climate and our health. Sierra Club staff member Luis Amezcua points out that “if Tagami hadn’t wasted so much time fighting with the city over whether the terminal should handle and store coal, perhaps he wouldn’t be behind schedule in the first place.”

What You Can Do:

Join us at an upcoming community meeting where the grassroots group No Coal in Oakland will discuss the implications of the city's latest actions. The meeting will also provide updates on:

  • Legal developments, including Tagami’s likely new lawsuit against the city;
  • The status of the campaign to get the Bank of Montreal to stop funding the coal terminal; and
  • The formation of a regional No Coal coalition including Richmond and Vallejo.

Join us:

Thursday, December 6,  7:00 PM
West Side Missionary Baptist Church
732 Willow Street, West Oakland


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